Ramadan, to the outsider, would appear to be a time of rigor and discomfort.

It’s true the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar requires followers of Islam to fast from before dawn until sunset, pray six times a day instead of the usual five, and withdraw from the sensual pleasures of the world.

But those who observe the Fast of Ramadan and the spiritual requirements of this holy month — such as study of the Quran, intense reflection and acts of charity — don’t see it as a sacrifice at all.

“It seems like it would be a month of austerity and suffering,” said Moussa Elbayoumy, director of the Islamic Center of Lawrence, 1917 Naismith Drive. “But, from young children to adults and older people, it is actually a month that we look forward to every year with joyous anticipation.”

The month of Ramadan, during which Muslims believe the Quran — Islam’s holy book — was sent down from heaven, is a time Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend less time on everyday concerns.

This time of worship and contemplation will begin for more than a billion Muslims around the world with the first sighting of the new moon.

In the Lawrence area, that time is expected to come today.

Because the beginning of the Islamic lunar months depends on the actual sighting of the crescent moon, the start and end dates of Ramadan may vary.

The fast during Ramadan, according to Elbayoumy, is to learn discipline, self-restraint and generosity, while obeying God’s commandments.

¢ U.S. troops receive Ramadan training¢Ramadhan.org¢Ramadan: Rules and regulations¢Saum: The prescribed fasting

Fasting — along with a declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity and pilgrimage to Mecca — is one of the “five pillars” of Islam.

The end of Ramadan will be marked by communal prayers called Eid al-Fitr, or the Feast of the Fast-Breaking — expected to arrive Nov. 25.

The number of people who go to the Islamic Center for daily prayer during a regular month ranges from 150 to 200. It surges to between 400 and 500 during Ramadan, Elbayoumy said.

Ariful Huq, 20, a Kansas University junior from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will be fasting during Ramadan.

“I think it really humbles me, the fact that I have not eaten the whole day, and I know why I’m doing this — it’s mandatory upon me,” he said.

“It’s a constant thought, ‘This is the holy month when the Quran was revealed.’ It’s really preparation. It pumps you up for the rest of the year.”

Huq, a member of KU’s Muslim Student Assn., has had to get used to observing Ramadan in the United States.

“I’m from a Muslim country, so fasting is really common. Breaking the fast, you had delicacies to eat back home. Here, you just have to find something,” he said. “I’m going to miss my parents’ cooking.”